ThatMomentWhenYou'retheGodofLiesButEveryoneCanReadYouLikeABook
by tonystarkhasaheart3000
Summary: After he is taken back to Asgard, and put on trial, the Avengers notice something different about the God of Mischief. Or Loki deserved better after the first Avengers movie so I'm making sure he gets it. Warning: Mentions of torture and mind control


"If its all the same to you, I'll have that drink now." Was the first thing that came out of his mouth once he finally had control over his body again. At first, he was going to leave and go somewhere he couldn't be found, but Thanos was still out there and he would not allow himself to be captured again by him. So instead he dragged himself to where he knew the Avengers (as they called themselves) including his brother would be. The one thing he could hope for would be that they would kill him, even if he'd never tell them that. But death would be a sweet release from all that he has been through in the past year.

But instead of killing him right then and there like he had hoped, Thor insisted that he be taken back to Asgard where Odin would put him on trial. He knew Odin would demand he be executed for 'his' actions, but could he bear seeing his mother again after all this time? Maybe she wouldn't even care that he was back. Despite what Thor had said, none of them probably even cared when they thought he had died.

As Thor and him travelled up the Bifrost, himself being handcuffed and gagged, he quickly steeled his resolve that he would not show any emotions when he saw the people, he once called his family again.

-(-)-

To his surprise he wasn't taken in straight for a trial but instead brought to the prison for the night.

"When will I be put on trial?" He asked Thor once his handcuffs and gag had been removed and the cell closed.

Thor refused to look at him in the eye, probably angry at him for all 'he' had done on earth and Asgard, "Father has set the trial for tomorrow." Loki nodded but gave no other reaction to what he was told. Hopefully the sentence decided would be execution. If it was just a life sentence, he would go mad from everything that had happened and everything 'he' had done. "Loki please," Thor spoke up again, finally looking him in the eyes, "why did you do all this."

_I didn't want to. All I wanted to do was to go home. _Instead he replied, making his voice angry, "People should bow down before me. I should've been given the throne of Asgard, it was my right too. You don't deserve it." If he wanted an execution, he had to keep up the act that he did all this for his own reason, not because he was forced too. Not that anyone would believe him if he told them that. He was a master liar after all. Or he was, before Thanos.

"I've changed, brother. And you cannot be a king with that attitude." Thor said sadly, as if he was finally giving up hope for him. Good.

"So, I should become like you?" He replied sarcastically.

He watched, almost sad, as his (former) brother shook his head and walked away. But this was the way it should be. He didn't deserve to have his family forgive him. The things he had done had been terrible and he deserves a punishment for it. All he could do is hope the punishment was be an execution, something quick and easy.

Once he was finally alone, Loki looked around. His prison cell was more comfortable than normal ones, which made him have too push down his hope that Frigga had been involved with that. Even if she did still care for him it was ill-placed. After all he was the one weak enough to allow Thanos into his mind, he didn't deserve any form of comfort.

-(-)-

The next day he was chained from his neck, arms and legs, that reminded him so much of his time in the Void, and taken before Odin, with Thor, Frigga and the rest of the Avengers there. This surprised Loki but he didn't let it show.

"Loki." Frigga said softly, as if she expected him to break down and apologize for all that he did.

No, he would not let his mask slip, he reminded himself quickly and smirked at her, "Hello mother. Have I made you proud?"

"Please." She was searching his eyes, for some sign that he was sorry for what he had done. Fortunately, he had become excellent at masking his real emotions over the course of his life. "Don't make this worse."

"Define worse." And although he said it sarcastically, he genuinely wanted to know how he could possibly make trying to take over two planets and murdering hundreds of people any worse.

"Enough." Odin called out and Loki turned to the king as he continued, "Loki. Do you have anything to say for all the crimes you have committed?"

"If you're expecting me to break down and apologize I'm sorry to disappoint." He shrugged.

The Allfather's temper was coming down and Loki knew he was making him angry. _It doesn't matter, he never saw you as his son to begin with, just a little push and he'll order the execution. _Thor, seeing that the situation could get out of hand if the Allfather got too angry, said, "Loki please. Just tell us why you have done all this.

Was Thor really still trying to find a reason for his actions? It gave him some comfort to know that someone still would listen to him, even if he wasn't planning on explaining his real motives any time soon_. _"I was simply trying to rule the people of earth as a benevolent god. Just like you."

"We are not gods. We are born, we live, we die, just as humans do." Odin's voice boomed, but Loki resisted flinching.

"Give or take 5,000 years." He smirked, ignoring the murderous looks on the Avengers faces.

"All this because Loki desires a throne." Odin said, making him sound so pathetic. _Nothing new there. _It wasn't as if the Allfather had ever attempted to understand Loki's motives behind anything he had done in the last 1000 years. He always just made his own assumptions and went with those beliefs.

So no, Loki was not going to try and explain that he didn't want a throne but did all this anyways. Yeah, because that sounded so believable. So instead he yelled, "It was my birthright."

"Your birthright was to die. As a child." Odin yelled and Loki froze.

"Father, please." He heard Thor say but Odin continued on mercilessly.

"Cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."

Loki let some of the hurt show on his face because despite everything, hearing this from Odin made it so much worse. "If I am for the axe, then for mercy's sake, just swing it. It's not that I don't love our little talks, it's just... I don't love them."

"You will not be executed, solely because Frigga insisted," Well there goes that plan. Well, he supposed he didn't deserve an easy way out anyways. After everything he had done on Midgard because he was too weak to resist Thanos, he deserved every bit of suffering he would undoubtedly receive.

"The mighty king of Asgard, held back by his wife's wishes." He smirked, maybe he could push Odin over the edge anyways.

Thor stepped forward, grimacing, "Brother, if you value your life you will stop talking."

Instead of backing down, Loki grinned, showing no remorse.. Maybe that would make them stop helping him. Before he could reply, Clint spoke up saying, "No wait, why are we trying to protect him again? He murdered hundreds in days. And forced people to do what he wanted." Ah yes, this was the man he had controlled with his scepter. Loki could understand where he was coming from, and silently thanked the man for saying what he did. It seemed like they needed a reminder of what he had done.

"Clint, stand down." Natasha muttered next to him, and stared intently at Loki, as if trying to read him. Loki looked away, because she may have been a mere mortal but she had gotten information out of him before so he would not underestimate her.

"He may be a murderer, but he is still my brother." Thor said sharply, glaring at the man for speaking out of turn.

_He is just saying that, maybe he doesn't realize the extent of what I have done. _"Sentiment." He scoffed.

Odin stared at him for a moment before telling the guards, "Take him back to his cell while we discuss."

The guards nodded and he was led out of the room. He kept his face blank and head held high as he was sent back to the prison.

-(-)-

"Odin?" Frigga asked after a moment of complete silence, "What are your thoughts."

Odin sighed and looked around the room, "I believe our son is too far gone. Since he fell from the Bifrost he is so different from the boy we raised."

"Excuse me, if I may interject?" Natasha asked and everyone turned to her questioningly, "Something is off about the way he is acting." If anything, her speaking seemed to only have confused them more, so she kept going, "On earth he had this crazed look in his eyes, but now they simply looked hollow and tired. And the way he kept trying to bring out anger from everyone, like he was trying to be punished."

"Loki has always been a master deceiver." Odin replied skeptically.

Nat just shook her head, "I was able to read him before without him realizing it. His whole-body language has changed. Something has changed since the Hulk smashed him."

"Like what?" Thor asked curiously, eyes slowly filling with hope.

"I think you might be right. There has been something bothering me from when he surrendered to us." Tony said, agreeing with her. "He could've left, escaped during all that time, but instead he let himself be captured. Why?"

"Maybe he was being controlled by someone else." Steve suggested, "He started acting different after the Hulk hit him **hard. **And Clint had to be knocked out to have control over himself again."

"So, he might not be evil?" Thor asked hopefully.

Steve hesitated, "It's a possibility but we have no way of knowing for sure."

"If what you're saying is so true, then why didn't he just tell us now?" Clint asked.

"He feels guilty." Frigga said, "I sensed it when he walked in, he doesn't believe he deserves to be forgiven."

"Plus, would any of us believed him if he had told us?" Bruce asked.

"This is all speculation. We have no way of knowing the truth." Tony reminded them.

"If you truly believe there is hope for him," Odin sighed, "Then I can cast an enchantment on him, that will make him speak only to truth while we question him."

Thor's eyes lit up, "So he will have to tell us what really happened."

"I don't know how that's possible but I'm all for it." Tony said, the rest of the avengers saying something in agreement.

"I know what it's like to be controlled by that scepter, If, he really had no choice, it wouldn't be fair to punish him for what he did." Clint told them, somewhat reluctantly. If what they were saying was true, then he couldn't hold a grudge against the god of mischief. It would just be cruel to do so.

"Very well." Odin said, though he didn't sound convinced, "Tomorrow at dawn we will bring Loki back here and question him.

-(-)-

Loki paced inside his cell anxiously. Not knowing what they were discussing was making sleeping much more difficult than needed. Then again, after everything he'd been through he probably wouldn't sleep through the night anyways.

If only he had even a little bit of his magic, he could've listened in on them to see what they decided. Eventually he sat down and started reading one of the many books Frigga had sent for him. _She is still kind to me after everything I have done._

"Loki." He looked up to see his mother, _No, she's not my real mother, _standing outside his cell.

"Mother." He acknowledged, but not nearly as coldly as he had in the throne room, "Have you come to inform me of my punishment?"

Instead of answering his question, she watched him carefully and said, "Please my son, there is something you are keeping from us."

"What makes you so sure of that?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"You forget I raised you, child." She said with a faint hint of amusement in her tone, "I can see through the mask you think will protect you."

"Perhaps you're just reluctant to believe that I am no longer the ignorant fool I was a year ago" He started raising his voice, just a little. "Who would do anything to please you and Odin and Thor."

"Odin has decided to question you tomorrow at dawn." She informed him softly.

"What makes him think I have anything more to tell you?" Loki asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

She looked up at his to see his reaction as she said, "He is going to make you only speak the truth."

Loki froze at that. No. They could not find out the truth. "I don't see what the point of that would be." He replied smoothly, mask slipping back into place. "You will only hear what I have told you already."

Frigga sighed, "Very well, if you insist on keeping up this façade. We will find out the truth tomorrow."

She walked away and Loki finally allowed the panic to show on his face. They were going to question him. They would find out all about his time after the Void, and how he was too weak to stop Thanos. But he was a master at deceiving people, he would find a way to hold back the truth, even if it meant not speaking a word.

-(-)-

"Send him in." Odin told a guard after everyone arrived that day.

Loki walked in, face as calm and blank as it had been the previous morning and after looking around at everyone said, "I didn't realize a war criminal received so much attention from the royal family of Asgard and the… heroes of Earth."

Ignoring his obvious attempt at stalling by making him upset, Odin said, "Do you know why you were brought here?"

"Something about being questioned, though I really don't see why you're dragging all this out. You already know the highlights."

"Do we really?" Thor asked him gently, surprising Loki for a second, "Or is there more you haven't said."

"Oh Thor, still so naïve about the truth. You still believe that a Frost Giant is capable of being anything but a monster." Loki spat back, because that was true wasn't it? He was a monster.

"You're not a monster." Frigga stepped forward and told him.

"Enough of this." Odin said and everyone quieted, "He is simply trying to stall."

Loki smirked seeing that the Allfather had seen through his act, but his heart started pounding. Why though? He was Loki, if anyone, he could beat whatever spell they were going to put on him.

But still his breath quickened as Odin cast whatever spell it was on him.

When it was done, he didn't feel any different. But then Odin asked him what his name was, and he found himself saying, "Loki Odinson." Before he could stop himself. He couldn't control it, he realized with a start. No matter how hard he tried he wouldn't be able to stop himself from telling them what they wanted. It almost felt like how Thanos had controlled what he said and did before. _No, don't think about that. _Maybe he could at least not tell them the whole truth, only part of it. They didn't need to hear the full story.

"How did you survive after falling from the Bifrost?" Thor asked. Loki hid the surprise he felt but that was not where he expected them to start.

"I don't know. I almost died." He said honestly, because all he knew was Thanos had revived him somehow when he finally stopped falling in the Void.

"Why did you attack earth?" Tony asked from his seat.

How was he supposed to answer this without revealing anything to them? _To rule it, _He tried to tell himself to say but instead what came out was, "I didn't want to." Somehow he managed to force himself not to say more but it made his head start throbbing painfully.

"Don't fight the enchantment," Odin said, seemingly noticing his pain, "It will only hurt you."

"Why don't you want to tell us what happened?" Frigga asked carefully.

"Because I was weak." No. Why was he telling them this. If only he had even a little bit of his magic, he would be able to stop himself. "If I hadn't been then none of this would've happened."

"How were you weak, brother?" Thor asked and damnit now he had no choice but to answer.

"I gave in." Loki dropped his defiant act and slumped over a little, not meeting anyone's eyes. "I let them into my mind."

"So, is it true?" Clint asked from where he was, "That someone forced you to do what you did on earth."

"Yes." Loki sighed, "I was weak and because of it innocent people were hurt. Killed."

"It wasn't your fault." Clint replied and Loki looked up, surprise showing on his face, "I know what it's like to be forced to do something you didn't want to. I hurt people under your control too, so I know how you feel."

"I'm sorry for what I did to you." Loki looked around to the others. "I'm sorry for everything I did on Midgard."

They all seemed to accept his apology, probably because they knew he was had to tell the truth, and for a moment he hoped this was it, they wouldn't ask anything else. But of course, they kept going.

"You were gone for over a year, where were you during that time?" Frigga asked, and of course it would be her who would remember that little detail.

"I fell through the void for what could've been hours or could've been months. After that I was… rescued," his voice sounded bitter saying that Thanos of all people rescued him. "and brought to a planet, I know not its name."

"Who was it who rescued and brainwashed you." Natasha asked.

"His name is Thanos." His voice wavered when he said the name despite his attempts at sounding indifferent, "But the Other was the one who did the brainwashing, as you put it."

"When you controlled Clint, he acted almost like a zombie, programmed to only do what you told him. You didn't act anything like that." Although Tony technically didn't ask a question, Loki still found his voice answering him anyways. _Curse you for realizing that, Stark._

"The control I had over him was surface level. Easy to break with a hard-enough hit." Loki tried to block out everything as he continued, "What Thanos had on me was far deeper, and much harder to notice, or break."

"How did he do it?" Odin asked. He must've noticed how vulnerable Loki was because even his voice seemed gentler. _Great now even he is pitying me. They all must think I'm so weak_

"He had to weaken my mind and body in order to get into my head." Loki replied, closing his eyes for a brief moment to try and block out the memories.

Everyone stayed silent for a moment, seeming to understand what he was implying until Thor obliviously asked, "What did he do to do that?"

Did he really have to spell it out? Loki rolled his eyes because his façade of nonchalance was the only thing he could keep in this whole situation, "Torture, Thor, he tortured."

Frigga started silently crying when she heard that and Thor himself looked taken aback. How had he not realized Loki wasn't himself? Now that he thought about it, Loki had looked tired and pale when he first saw him on Midgard. Eyes hollow and cheeks sunken. He should've known. How had he not realized?

Breaking Thor's thoughts Loki said, "If it's all the same to you, I'll go back to my cell now."

Frigga stepped forward and put her hand on Loki's. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not." Oh right, he still had that blasted truth spell on him. He couldn't even lie about something that simple.

"I don't think you'll be needing those." Odin said, as if it was so simple, and gestured to the guards to remove his chains.

Loki looked at him in surprise. "You're letting me go?" The Allfather nodded so he asked, "Why?"

"Because what you did wasn't your fault." Clint Barton, of all people, told him, "You shouldn't be punished for doing something you had no choice in."

"I- I don't understand why you're all acting this way. I destroyed your home, I murdered people and claimed to be better than all of you."

"That wasn't you, brother." Thor told him, "I'm the one who should've known something was wrong. I have failed you in so many ways, I promise I will help you now."

"We all will."


End file.
